The Creepy Crawly

Recently we had a pipe burst in our bathroom in Buffalo NY, which caused a two-floor flood from which we experienced major moisture. After dealing with the massive cleanup and bill, we thought we were done with the whole thing. As I got out of bed one night to use the restroom something bit me on my foot. As I bounced up and down thinking, “what the heck just bit me”, I saw something running across the floor with what looked like a thousand legs. I chased this unknown pest down and scooped it up in a Dixie cup to examine it and to my surprise it was a centipede, I didn’t know they bit people. After cleaning my wound and sending him for a swim I was curious about why this pest bit me and wondered if there were others? So I started doing a little research on this pest and here is a little what I found.

The house centipede is often seen darting across floors at high speeds, occasionally stopping suddenly and remaining motionless for some time before racing off once more. Its’ cylindrical body can grow to an inch or more in length. This pest is typically yellowish brown and bears three dark longitudinal stripes dorsally. The 15 pairs of slender, banded legs increase in length from the front to the back of the body. This species of centipede is found in wet damp places, especially in basements, in potted plants that are over watered and in bathrooms. Their bite can be painful, but is not generally toxic to humans. Centipedes breed under foundations and in moist leaf litter where it is not easy to reach them. Adults can move up into buildings via small cracks in the foundation as they search for prey. Once exposed inside a building they must quickly return to a humid habitat to avoid desiccation. Centipedes feed on mostly moving prey.

Why wake up in the middle of the night and fear that you may step on a pest like the centipede? If you are concerned about this pest or any other pest in your home and are seeking an urgent pest inspection, call EnviroTech today to hear about our natural pest control solutions.